The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-19
THE TWO JOHN sWINTONs.

A Graphic Picture of the Labor Reformer
by Admiring Pen.
Brooklyn Eagle
The much writing about John Swinton has
not got at the heart of what kind of a man he is.
A great deal of sympathy is felt in New York
Tor the old man, for he has long been the only
real or apparent Frenchman in an American
/ skin over here. He has represented enough
earneStness on the one hand. and enough bounce
on the other. to make decorate q striking
personality. while he has also satisfied a de-
mand for comedy as we'll as supplied an example
of intensity. There will have to be day of
judgment to settle whether John Swinton's
communism is red hot conviction a form of
cultivated egotism, which has become a freak or
a fanaticism. The matter is, however not so
important as the fact that the old man was at
any time ready to die for his fad-f death
could be inflicted in a properly dramatic man
ner-and. more's the pity, almost starved for it.
For long months past he has lived in one
room in tenement among the slums, his food
not costing ST. week, and not worth half that
little; depicting himself in body that the paper
might go on earning 5000 by magazine article
on something that he was Indifferent about that
he might issue thoughts which he tremen-
dously moved about Il will dine you for a
sixpence, but if you want me to write for you,
my terms will be $40 column; it will bring out
my next ISSUE" he would say. An income of
over $40, 900 year and fortune which at least
five figures would be needed to express, house.
furniture. horses, wines. clothes. last of all the
beloved books, have gone to sustain an idea, and
the idea wind.
John Swinton had to stop. He could starve
his stomach and deny his mind long as he
could get together enough to pay the printer
but when that failed he ceased. No suffered
loss but himself The theories of the m were
visionary and destructive but he was the safest
conduit for them there was. He would de-
nounce property without being able to remove
the conviction of everybody that he was the
kindest old man in the world. He would roar
like Etna, but the birds would not fly away
and slaughter, but his wallet would be turnt
inside out to the first beggar He would advo-
cate communism and practice it by loading up
gamins with presents. New York knew him as
a stage quantity, whose heart was as gentle
as summer. The amount of verbal vehemence
that had to be got off sounded in him like the
lated around and within him ike the lightning
of July twilight; but the noise was only noise,
and the lightning struck nothing but his pocket
book The old man was conservative force,
discounted thunderbolt, and did not seem to
know it. He came, as ne thought, unto his own
and they received him not They unto whom he
cast pearls turned and rended him. He will find
harbor whence he went forth to raise storm and
encounter shpwreck.
what were you doing that afternoon on that
cornerl" asked Mr. Fullerton OF him when a wit
ness the Beecher trial.
..Musing the infinite" was the answer that
came quick as flash. straight a rifle ball and
hard rock. That cross examination was
"Did you ever taste that kind of wine before,
Swinton?" asked A. T. Stewart of him at a din
ner once in the Thirty-fourth-street palace as
eyes, twice; once with Antopei and once
with Bismarck, and both times in larger glasses"
was the reply.
1t was Swuton who gravely proposed to dis
cuss in Madison square Garden, with William
H. Vanderbilt, the latters right to his millions
to the sheer CONSERVATION of that man, and
somewhat to his apprehension. 1t was Swinton
against whom Depew '.braced himself" for de-
hate at the Nineteenth Century Club. and it
was Swinton who at that club spoke only sucn
honied words of the allowances which ought TO
ham m de- 10 DeDows red
guments were kicks against nothing.
HE thought I'd show my teeth. but my speech
was q sustained kiss" chuckingly explains the
old man. 1.-THE case-maker was nowhere" he
adds.
He has learned that natural conditions will
not bend to aid poor rich; that in gr attitude is
plant that can grow in the slums as we'll as on
the avenues that the confederation of forces
the conservation of powers, the union of energy,
skill and interests that go by the name Of corpo-
rations, svndicates, companies, trusts, and the
like. law of the civilization of the time he
has learned his lesson. but sweet. strong, and
hopeful in him yet is ''the indomitable heart of
Armand Richelieu."